Help! Dipped my pullet in too cold of water... shock?

[Bocktobery 10]

I'm hoping that someone will be able to help me with this. I think i am doing all I can to help correct my mistake, but I just don't know.

What happened is this: We had a very hot day today. I free range my flock, but ended up putting my new pullets in the coop about an hour early. It was still hot out, though the temperature was slowly going back down. When I went in to shut the coop up, i noticed that a few of them were very hot- hot to the touch and panting. I decided to try and cool them down with a dunk in water. Just up and over their back.. not their whole body. I put the hose on and filled a tub, only I FORGOT that it is not smart to put chickens in very cold water. I forgot to check. I dunked all 10 of my pullets, including my smaller ones. This seemed to stop the panting, only I noticed after finishing up that the one small one looked off. She was no longer panting but seemed out of sorts- too tired, too quickly. I noticed that compared to the other hen's feet- hers were cold. She also had one eye closed. I don't know why that would be but thought I would mention it.

I then remembered that maybe I shocked her system with too cold water. I am guessing that the temp of the water was anywhere between 45 to 60 degrees F.

I also put my ear to the pullets back to hear her heart rate. It sounds a bit too hard and quick to me, compared to the other pullets. I have since taken her inside with me (it is after sunset now) and I have her wrapped up in a towel and close to me so that she can warm up. Her shivering has ceased. I'm just afraid that I have killed her! She seems really tired, but of course it is now passed her bed time- so I don't know if her sleepiness has to do with normal sleep cycle or with possibly shocking her system. Her one eye is still closed. Her feet have warmed up considerably, but she still seems worn out. I'm also concerned that her back feels cool to the touch. She also seems a bit too hot in places still, but cooler in others. I have her inside now and she is panting again. ??? Its been about an hour and a half since I dunked her. She seems to want to sleep. I'm going to try not and disturb her much.


Any advice for me? I am thinking I will just have her inside for the night and just try and keep her warm this evening until I have to go to bed.

The pullet is a blue aandalusian, born the week of Easter this year.

 

[Eggcessive]

So sorry this happened, but I think you are right that the water was a bit too cold. She might be weaker than the rest, have other issues, or maybe was suffering from the heat and was on the edge of heatstroke. Just don't beat yourself up about this. I'm sure she will be fine in the morning. Years ago , hospitals used to treat high fevers with ice water baths, until they realized that could stop a person's heart. Nowadays tepid water is used if meds don't get the temps down fast enough. Next time just use cool water. In summer I put out a few hog pans with water in them and my chickens like to walk through them or stand in them to cool off.

 

[Bocktobery 10]

Thank you Eggcessive for the quick response.

She seems to be livening up a bit now, but just before that she seemed to be getting ill by panting much and putting her neck and head down. When slightly disturbed, though, she would lift her head and start to pant again. She has lifted her wings as if too hot. Her heart rate seems still a bit fast, but not pumping so hard as it was before. I think she is just really tired and a bit stressed too from the new strange environment. I just didn't want to leave her in the coop- even if she was snuggled up with the other pullets- just in case she needed a bit more warmth.

I know what it feels like to have hypothermia and it is not fun at all. Feels terrible! So I feel extra horrible that I didn't think that just because that temp of water felt good on my skin that it would be too cold for them.

I did just recently (last two weeks) have a respiratory ailment go through the flock, so it is true what you say that it could also be weak or having other issues. I treated them all with durimyicin.. (sorry about the hatchet job spelling) and also some Oxine AH (unactivated and mixed with water) fogged in the coop for a couple hours a day using a humidifier. I do have one hen that still has a swollen eye.. its come back, so perhaps this little gal is a bit sick too?


Thanks so much for the support. I really do hope she makes it through. I feel so awful.

 

[ForPiper]

How is your chicken doing?
In these hot days I put a shallow bucket with about 5" deep of water in it..not too much water for the hen to accidentally drawn, but enough for them to cool their feet in it. That is all they need. Also, chickens do not do well when the temp outside is 104F or above. When the temp above 95F I put a mister in the run (Orbit Cobra Mistand is around $10 at home depot and is a chicken life saver).
Also, if your chickens are layers, be careful with your nest box.. I lost one of my girls on 6/29: despite all the extra water and the feet bath, I didn't think about closing or removing the lid of the nest box. Sometime during the worse of the heat she went to lay her egg, and that was the last she did. I still cry about her.

 

[seminolewind]

Aww , that's sad.

I think chickens have more problem with heat than with cold. I freeze soda bottles and add them to the waterers, and the cold water makes a big difference. I also , sometimes, let a hose run making a big puddle, and they do stand in it and cool off.

Bocktobery, I had a silkie hen who tried to die twice from heat stress. The first time, she just needed to cool off and have some water. The second time I found her laying on her side breathing so fast that she couldn't drink. I think I soaked her in water too cold. She was shivering. I thought I killed her. I put her in the laundry room. The next morning she was standing in a corner to prop herself up. By the end of the day she was looking normal. That's when the silkie coop got 2 fans. We all learn as we go.

 

[familypendragon]

This might sound silly, but a holistic doctor friend once told me that if you suspect an animal (or human for that matter) is in some type of heart distress, you should massage under the armpit. Apparently there is some gland or something that somehow stimulates a more even heart rhythm. Might be worth a shot?

 

[Bocktobery 10]

I just found the responses here... I know its tremendously late in getting back to anyone, but just in case you read this thread again, thanks for your responses. I love the helpful hints too.

She is fine. She didn't get any illness that was going around the flock either. It was all from the fact I dowsed her in too cold water suddenly. That day, I had brought her in overnight to observe her after I got her looking a little less blue.. and she was kind of weak/tired for that evening, but but morning she was ok. She is just as much of a whippersnapper now as she was before the incident, so I am lucky. She's a such tiny little thing!

Sorry to hear about your bird, ForPiper. I can well understand how much it hurts-even after time has gone by.

Seminolewind... been thinking about getting some fans for my coop. I do have an electrical one, but I worry about fires since it has dust all over it and it wasn't meant to be used in a coop, but in a clean home. I didn't use it this year because of that, but have been thinking about investing in a small barn fan... if they make them in smaller sizes. I'm lucky that I have many windows I can open, but some nights are just so humid there is no relief either.

Familypendragon... I'll keep that in mind! Its a good tip to know, so thanks!

(Funny, as I type this we are dealing with single digit or below zero temps!)

 

[seminolewind]

I have fans. Most are plugged in outside the coop or pen. I also put up smoke detectors. A small price to pay for safety.